LB 2851 
.K2 
Copy 1 



Report of State Printer 



Concerning Investigation 
of the Cost of 



Publication of School Books 
by the State. 



£3i M* 




STATE PRINTING OFFICE, 
TOPEKA, 1908. 



I^o-v*.. 



Report of State Printer 



Concerning Investigation 
of the Cost of 



Publication of School Books 
by the State. 




STATE PRINTING OFFICE, 
TOPEKA, 1908. 






REPORT OF STATE PRINTER 

CONCERNING INVESTIGATION OF THE COST OF PUBLICA- 
TION OF SCHOOL BOOKS BY THE STATE. 



Topeka, Kan., December 15, 1908. 
To Hon. W. R. Stubbs, Governor Elect: 

Sir — In making my report of investigation of cost of school 
books now used in the public schools of Kansas, I realize 
that there is an element of cost which cannot be estimated 
with absolute accuracy, viz., the cost of authorship. I am un- 
able to say what price would have to be paid in the way of 
royalties or for the purchase of copyrights. 

I assume that the royalties paid by publishing houses, or 
the prices paid for copyrights, vary according to the character 
of the manuscript, the reputation of the authors, and the de- 
gree of their necessities. I find, however, on consulting with 
old established publishing houses that royalties range from 
ten per cent, to twenty per cent. I have, therefore, in making 
my estimate of the cost of publishing school books, taken the 
middle ground and assumed that the average royalty that 
would have to be paid would be in the neighborhood of fifteen 
per cent. I think it might be found, however, that in many 
cases it would be economy in the long run to buy the copyright 
rather than to pay annual royalties. 

In making up my estimate of publishing the school books by 
the state I also took into consideration the amount of money 
which would be necessary to expend in the way of new build- 
ings and additional equipment, the interest on this investment 
by the state, the depreciation in the value of buildings and 
equipment, and the additional cost for coal and labor at the 
state heating plant that would be made necessary in furnishing 
the heat and power for the enlarged printing plant. 

My estimate on the cost of additional buildings and equip- 
ment is $150,000. I desire to say, however, that while I think 
$150,000 in the way of buildings and equipment would enable 
the state to print all the books hereinafter enumerated, and 

(3) 



4 State Publication 

at even a less price than I have estimated, my opinion is that 
it would be wise for the state to lay broad and deep the foun- 
dations for the future business of printing school books; in 
other words, it should have in contemplation an equipment 
sufficient to turn out everything that is needed by the schools 
in the way of books and equipment; and for this reason I 
think it would be wise to prepare for the expenditure in build- 
ings and new equipment at the state printing plant of not less 
than $300,000. 

I have estimated the interest on the investment at four per 
cent.; as a matter of fact, three per cent, bonds would sell 
readily at par, or above, so that even if $300,000 were in- 
vested in the way of additional building and equipment the 
increased cost to the state would be very slight, while there 
is no question that in the long run the state would find it had 
made an excellent investment. 

The interest on $150,000 at four per cent, per annum would 
be $6000 per annum; or on $300,000 at three per cent, would 
be $9000. I estimate interest at four per cent, for the reason 
that if the state saw fit to borrow money, its four per cent, 
obligations would be very gladly taken at a premium by the 
buyers of first-class securities. I estimate the annual depre- 
ciation in the value of the plant and buildings at eight per cent. 
This would make the charge for depreciation $12,000 per 
annum, if only $150,000 was expended, or $24,000 if $300,000. 

I estimate the cost of additional coal and labor at the state 
heating plant at $10,000 per annum. So long, of course, as 
the state can obtain its coal from the Penitentiary this cost 
would be reduced, but I think it fair to make the estimate on 
what coal would cost if the state had to go into the open market 
and buy it as does any other customer. This makes the items 
of interest on investment, depreciation and extra cost of fuel 
and labor $28,000 per annum, or $43,000 if the still larger 
plant is built. 

I estimate the cost of distribution of the books at fifteen 
per cent. The present state law allows but ten per cent, to 
dealers; but in my judgment that is not an adequate compen- 
sation and I do not think that fifteen per cent, would be any 
more than fair. I find that in order to cover the items of 
interest on investment, depreciation and cost of extra labor 
and fuel, it is necessary to add to the cost of labor and ma- 
terial used in manufacturing the books about seventeen per 



of School Books. 5 

cent. I have added to this fifteen per cent, to cover cost of 
royalties, or copyrights, and fifteen per cent, to cover cost of 
distribution. This would make a total addition to the cost of 
labor and material of forty-seven per cent. 

The books on which this investigation has been made are 
the ones most commonly used in the graded schools and are 
as follows: Speller, primer, first, second, third, fourth and 
fifth readers, elementary and advanced arithmetics, United 
States history, civil government, language lessons, grammar, 
elementary and advanced geographies, physiology, bookkeep- 
ing, algebra, mental arithmetic, physics, writing books, and 
Prentis's history of Kansas. 

Taking up these books seriatim, my estimate of cost of labor 
and material and delivery cost is as follows : 

RATHBUN'S SPELLER. 

Cost of labor and material per book, 6.12 cents; add 47 
per cent. (2.87) making the cost of delivery 8.99 cents. In all 
cases where delivery cost comes out in a fraction I have 
counted the cost to the next whole number; in other words, 
in all cases I have counted the fractions against the state.' 
This makes delivery cost of this book 9 cents. The present 
cost is 11 cents. There were used during the years 1907-'08, 
according to the report furnished by Mr. Alford, of the Kansas 
Book Company, 209,568 of these books at a cost to the pur- 
chasers of $23,052. I estimate that the same number of books 
of the same quality of paper and binding could be furnished 
by the state for $18,861.12. 

WOOSTER'S PRIMER. 

Cost of labor and material on this book is estimated at 5.39 
cents per book; delivery price, 8 cents per book; present de- 
livery price per book, 13 cents. Of these books, according to 
Mr. Alford's report, there were sold during the school year 
1907-'08, 33,420 at a cost of $5011. I estimate that the same 
number of books could be furnished by the state, similarly 
printed and bound, for $2673.60. 

FIRST READER. 

The estimated cost of labor and material on this book is 
6.5 cents; delivery cost per book, 10 cents; present delivery 
cost per book, 11 cents. Of these books there were sold during 



6 State Publication 

the school year 1907-'08, 66,696 at a cost to the purchasers of 
$7336. I estimate that the state could have furnished the 
same number of books for $6669.60. 

SECOND READER. 

The estimated cost per book for labor and material is 7.20 
cents; delivery cost per book, 11 cents; present delivery cost 
per book, 18.7 cents. The number of books sold during the last 
school year, 1907-'08, 63,440 at a cost to the purchasers of 
$11,864. I estimate that the same number of books, equally 
well bound and printed, could be delivered by the state for 

$6978.84. THIRD READER. 

Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 9.49 cents; 
delivery cost per book, 14 cents; present delivery cost per 
book, 26 cents. There were sold of third readers during the 
school year 1907-'08, 67,519 at a cost to the purchasers of 
$16,782. I estimate that the same number of books could be 
printed and sold by the state at a cost to the purchasers of 

$9452.66. FOURTH READER. 

Estimated cost of labor and material of this book is 10.46 
cents per book; delivery cost per book, 16 cents; present de- 
livery cost per book, 33 cents. Number of books sold during 
the school year 1907-'08, 79,320 at a cost to the purchasers of 
$26,175. I estimate that the state could have printed, bound 
and delivered the same number of books for $12,691.20. 

FIFTH READER. 

Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 12.78 cents ; 
delivery cost per book, 19 cents ; present delivery cost per book, 
44 cents. There were sold of this book during the school year 
1907-'08, 87,645 at a cost to the purchasers of $38,563. I 
estimate that the same number of books could be printed, 
bound and delivered by the state for $16,652.55. 

ELEMENTARY ARITHMETIC. 

Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 11.98 cents ; 
cost of book delivered, per book, 18 cents ; present cost of book 
delivered, 28 cents per book. Number of these books sold 
during the school year 1907-'08, 124,224 at a cost to the pur- 
chasers of $34,161. I estimate that the same number of books 
could be printed, bound and delivered by the state for 
$20,350.32. 



of School Books. 7 

advanced arithmetic. 
Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 13.93 cents ; 
delivery cost per book, 21 cents ; present delivery cost per book, 
38 cents. Number of these books sold during the school year 
1907-'08, 114,228 at a cost to the purchasers of $43,997. I 
estimate that the same number of books could be printed, 
bound and delivered by the state for $23,986.88. 

DAVIDSON'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. 

Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 18 cents; 
estimated cost of book delivered, per book, 27 cents; present 
delivery price per book, 55 cents. Of these books there were 
sold during the school year 1907-'08, 21,817 at a cost to the 
purchasers of $11,999. I estimate that the same number of 
books could be printed, bound and delivered by the state at a 
cost of $5890.59. 

CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 

Estimated cost per book for labor and material, 9.11 cents ; 
delivery cost per book, 14 cents; present delivery price, 44 
cents. Of these books there were sold during the school year 
1907-'08, 41,889 at a cost to the purchasers of $18,431. I 
estimate that the same number of books could be printed, 
bound and delivered by the state at a cost of $5864.46. 

LANGUAGE LESSONS. 

Estimated cost of this book for labor and material per book, 
8.38 cents; cost of book delivered, 13 cents; present delivery 
cost per book, 22 cents. There were sold of this book during 
the school year 1907-'08, 85,182 at a cost to the purchasers of 
$18,740. I estimate that the same number of books could be 
printed, bound and delivered by the state for $11,073.66. 

HOENSHEL'S GRAMMAR. 

Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 11.46 cents; 
estimated delivery cost per book, 17 cents; present delivery 
price per book, 39 cents. Total number of books sold during 
the school year 1907-'08, 30,158 at a cost to the purchasers of 
$11,610. I estimate that the same number of books could be 
printed, bound and delivered by the state for $5126.86. 

ELEMENTARY GEOGRAPHY. 

Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 15.47 cents ; 
estimated delivery cost per book, 23 cents; present delivery 
price per book, 33 cents. Total number of books sold during 



8 State Publication 

the school year 1907-'08, 91,752 at a cost to the purchasers of 
$30,278. I estimate that the same number of books could be 
printed, bound and delivered by the state for $21,102.96. 

ADVANCED GEOGRAPHY. 

Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 32.28 cents ; 
estimated delivery cost per book, 48 cents; present delivery 
price per book, 83 cents. Total number of books sold during 
the school year 1907-'08, 104,804 at a cost to the purchasers 
of $86,463. I estimate that the same number of books could 
be printed, bound and delivered by the state for $50,305.92. 

PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE. 

Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 12.19 cents ; 
estimated delivery cost per book, 18 cents; present delivery 
price per book, 55 cents. There were sold during the school 
year 1907-'08, 67,591 at a cost to the state of $37,175. I esti- 
mate that the same number of books could be printed, bound 
and delivered by the state for $12,156.38. 

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 
Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 19.23 cents ; 
estimated delivery cost per book, 29 cents; present delivery 
price per book, 88 cents. There were sold of these books 
during the school year 1907-'08, 11,640 books at a cost to the 
purchasers of $10,243. I estimate that the same number of 
books could be printed, bound and delivered by the state at a 
cost of $3375.60. 

BOOKKEEPING. 

Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 12 cents; 
estimated delivery cost per book, 18 cents; present delivery 
price per book, 44 cents. Number of books sold during the 
school year 1907-'08, 5173 at a cost to the purchasers of $2276. 
I estimate that the same number of books could be printed, 
bound and delivered by the state for $931.14. 

ALGEBRA. 

Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 20.68 cents ; 
estimated delivery cost per book, 31 cents; present delivery 
price per book, 55 cents. There were sold during the school 
year 1907-'08 of these books, 22,225 at a cost to the purchasers 
of $12,223. I estimate that the same number of books could 
be printed, bound and delivered by the state for $6889.75. 



of School Books. 9 

mental arithmetic. 
Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 7.9 cents; 
estimated delivery price per book, 12 cents; present delivery 
price per book, 22 cents. Of these books there were sold dur- 
ing the school year 7323 at a cost to the purchasers of $1610. 
I estimate that the same number of books could be printed, 
bound and delivered by the state at a cost of $878.76. 

PHYSICS. 

Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 14.58 cents ; 
estimated delivery cost per book, 22 cents; present delivery 
price per book, 55 cents. Of these books there were sold dur- 
ing the school year 1907-'08, 2589 at a cost to the purchasers 
of $1423. I estimate the same number of books could be 
printed, bound and delivered by the state for $569.58. 

WRITING BOOKS. 

Estimated cost of labor and material per dozen, 17.23 cents ; 
estimated delivery cost per dozen, 26 cents; present delivery 
cost per dozen, 66 cents. The number of dozens of these 
writing books sold during the school year 1907-'08, 25,299 at 
a cost to the purchasers of $16,697. I estimate that the same 
number of writing books could be printed, bound and delivered 
by the state at a cost of $6577.74. 

PRENTIS'S HISTORY OF KANSAS. 

Estimated cost of labor and material per book, 15.6 cents ; 
estimated delivery cost per book, 24 cents; present delivery 
price per book, 66 cents. Whole number of books sold during 
the school year 1907-'08, 17,051 at a cost to the purchasers of 
$11,253. I estimate that the same number of books could be 
printed, bound and delivered by the state for $4092.24. 



The total cost of all the books sold as hereinbefore enumer- 
ated during the year 1907-'08 was $477,342. I estimate that 
the total cost of the same number of books printed, bound and 
delivered by the state would be $253,152.35, a difference in 
cost of $224,189.65. 



10 State Publication 

It is fair to say that in estimating the cost of production of 
these books I have estimated the cost of each book in 50,000 
lots. In case a less number of books than 50,000 were sold in 
a year, of course, the state would have to store the remainder 
until the demand called for them. If printed in much smaller 
quantities than 50,000, the price per book would be necessarily 
somewhat increased, though the increase would not be very 
great, even if they were printed in lots of no more than 20,000. 
It is safe to say that by printing them in lots of 20,000, or 
possibly even less than 20,000, the cost in no case would be 
increased more than one cent per book. 

In making this investigation, I have not attempted to pass 
judgment on the character of the books further than from a 
physical standpoint. Incidentally, I have made some exam- 
ination of the contents of the books, but I do not know that my 
judgment on that matter would be particularly valuable. My 
opinion is, however, that the books are fairly good ones. 
There has been a good deal of talk about the care that should 
be exercised in getting the best books for our schools, and that 
is certainly important, but I do not believe that there is any 
such wide variation in the educational value of school books as 
some would attempt to make us believe. My own opinion is 
that there are many books published, any one of which would 
make an excellent text-book. I believe that the readers which 
I read in when I was a boy are fully equal in point of literary 
excellence to any of the readers that are found in any of the 
schools of to-day. I believe that the grammars that we 
studied, and the arithmetics and algebras, produced as good 
grammarians, as good arithmeticians, and as good algebrarians 
as any of the books that are in use in the schools to-day. There 
are those, however, who would attempt to make us believe that 
unless the children in the schools are provided with certain 
text-books there will be manifested among them a constant 
and rapid mental decay. This I do not believe. It has also 
been repeatedly stated that the reason Kansas does not get 
better books than we have in our schools is on account of the 
unusually low prices fixed by the present state law. I un- 
hesitatingly say that there is not a book furnished by any pub- 
lishing house to-day to the state of Kansas that could not be 
sold at less than the price fixed by statute and still furnish a 
fine margin of profit. 

It is probable that there was never seen a finer aggregation 



of School Books. 11 

of oleaginous prevaricators than the gentlemen sent out to 
represent the various school book publishing houses of the 
country. In comparison with them I am satisfied that Ananias 
and Sapphira would be entitled to rank as paragons of truth. 
But whether these representatives of the publishing houses are 
monumental liars or not, of one thing I am certain, and that is 
if they cannot furnish better books at present prices than they 
do furnish, the State of Kansas can. 

I started into this investigation rather prejudiced against 
the idea of state publication. I have come out of it fully con- 
vinced that it is the thing for the state to do. The state can put 
out as good books as those at present furnished to the schools, 
at a saving to the state of more than $200,000 per annum, 
assuming that the number of books sold would average up 
year by year with the number sold during the last year. Of 
course, if not so many were sold the amount of saving would 
be proportionately less; but with the school population of the 
state constantly increasing it is probable that the number of 
books sold would not fall much below the number given me 
upon which I have based the foregoing calculations. 

In this connection I may say that I submitted the readers to 
Mr. Albert T. Reid for the purpose of having him make an es- 
timate of what the cost of illustrating new readers would be, 
provided the state should decide to get out an entirely new 
series, similar in size and quality to those already in use. I 
herewith append Mr. Reid's report. I may say that while this 
would seem to increase the cost considerably, in the long run 
the increase in cost would be very slight when apportioned 
among the total number of readers used. The illustrations 
once made and the half-tones produced would become a perma- 
nent investment on the part of the state. 

I may say, in closing, that my estimate of the cost of labor 
on all these books has been based upon the cost of hand labor. 
But it would, of course, be unwise for the state to employ 
hand labor entirely upon these books. By putting in im- 
proved machinery, faster presses, automatic feeders, im- 
proved folders, case-making machines, and other modern 
machinery, it is safe to say that the labor cost on all of these 
books could be reduced at least twenty-five per cent. 
Respectfully submitted. 

T. A. McNEAL, State Printer. 



12 



November 24, 1908. 
Mr. T. A. McNeal, State Printer, Topeka, Kan.: 

My Dear Mr. McNeal — Complying with your request for my estimate 
of the cost of illustrations for a set of readers. 

Basing this estimate on the readers now in use in the schools of Kan- 
sas, I beg leave herewith to make my report: 

It would be almost impossible to make an estimate upon the illustra- 
tions in the readers now in use, for several reasons. I find that a great 
many of the cuts were made from stock pictures. I mean by this, illus- 
trations which were not made primarily for the purpose of illustrating 
the text in these books. Some of these are from old paintings, and have 
been adapted to suit the purpose. In many cases, in my judgment, the 
pictures are foreign to the text. 

The line drawings would be especially hard to estimate, but I believe 
they are not up to the class of magazine illustrations. I do not make 
these observations with any intent to criticize these books. However, 
there is such a difference between the reproduction from the adapted 
paintings and these pen-and-ink drawings that I feel it is desirable to 
have a uniformity throughout. 

It is my idea that the work in these books should grade up to the 
present-day standard magazines. I believe that the class of work such 
as is used in these magazines could be obtained for $6500 of $7000, appor- 
tioned, probably, as follows: First reader, $1500; second reader, $1500; 
third reader, $1750; fourth reader, $1750; fifth reader, the portraits of 
the authors in zinc or half-tones and a few decorative headings, $300 or 
$400. These drawings to be made from the text and approved by the 
art manager and editor of the books. Of course, this price could vary 
greatly, depending upon the different artists engaged to make the 
drawings. 

I regard it as essential to pursue the same plan adopted by our lead- 
ing magazines, to have drawings on certain lines made by artists who are 
specialists in those lines, for it is quite as essential to have the appoint- 
ments of the picture correct as it is to have a perfect presentation of the 
facts in the story. 

I will furnish a more detailed report at any time when I may be 
furnished with a proof of what may likely be contained in the proposed 
new set of readers. Very respectfully submitted. 

Albert T. Reid. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



021 302 800 5 



